Yet another study proves that exercise helps keep the mind young

Ok - what did they do? They gave 60 men (aged 64-75) an exercise test, and some cognitive tests (including selective attention, executive function and reaction time)

Ok - what did they find? Not only was physical activity tied to which side of the brain was used - they found that the left side (typically used in “younger brains”) was used more when participants were more physically fit, but they also found that the more physically fit the individual was, the more activity was found in that portion of the brain. While the author of the study admits that more research is needed in this area he suggests that adults who are more fit are better at maintaining the brain’s white matter than less fit adults, explaining the increase of activity in the “fit brains”. Past research suggests that regular, relatively intense physical activity boosts cognitive function, reduces stress, improves memory and can help protect against dementia.

Ok - what does this mean? The aging brain does tend to shrink overtime, regular physical activity can help slow down the aging process of the brain.